Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-22

wild, dcmoniac eyes lie snatchcd the pill
low and heavy covering from Shrlcy's
scnsclcss form. lie lifted her, he famed her
with bis hand, called her his Shirley, his
daring, he implored her to speak to him.
Tho wild woman flew at him like II pan
thor. Sho tore his face with her nails. She
buried her teeth in his hand to the bone.
Once more he mastered hor by main
strength and dragged her away from the bed.
Two strong men had followed Inn in through
the window. One of them carried strait
jacket. He gave her into their hands. 1t
was with difficulty that even they could hold
| her.
Shirley opened her eyes. The wild woman
saw it, and made as if she would spring at
her again. But the two keepers had got her
into the strait jacket
Mr.. Morrison motioned them to be gone.
"Take that devil away" he said, "before
crush the life out of herr"
The wild woman snarled at him like saw
age beast, The keepers forced her out through
the doorway. As she went she gave George
Morrison a last look of helpless rage, and
muttered
II hate youl And you would marry melo
Shirley heard her say it. She lived over
the horror of those few moments in her
dreams, sometimes in after years, and would
walen to find herself standing upright,
shrieking frightfully, her brow wet with
drops of cold perspiration.
She had heard the wild woman mutter:
II hate you'll And you could marry mel"
The master stood still by the door with a
deatll2 pale fare, and blood dripping from
his hand. A streak of blood coursed down
his cheeks. Shirley turned her eyes on him.
She was quite in her senses now
"Who is that woman,n she said
The concentrated gall and NORWOOD of all
humanity was in his voice as he answered:
"She is my wife,"
Then fearful silence followed. He broke it..
swell, Shirley, you don't congratulate me
on my welded blissl"
She gave him terrible look
"Gou have deceived me-" she said
81 have. 1t is true | saved your life a
| moment ago, but that is nothing | have let
you believe a falsehood. And my name is
not George Morrison. 1t is Philip Dumoray.
Perhaps you will be interested to know it."
The dare devil of his reckless youth was
uppermost in him again now. He strobe
across and stopped beside her with his white,
blood streaked face and wounded hand. He
stood so close to her that the blood from his
hand dropped and stained the sleeve of her
white dress. She shrank from him with
horror He went on.
Il have deceived you all along. am a
married man-hushand of the angelic crea-
,, ture who so nearly murdered you awhile
ago.
The master was the master no longer, not
even of himself. \ savage oath broke from
his lips. Shirley could not speak. She beck
oned him feebly to 60 He did not heed it,
but talked on:
"She almost killed me once, in the same
way. They have had her in the mad house,
on the hill, for nine years. come here once
year to see that she is well treated and
wants for nothing. That is what came here
for now Last night she got away. Nobody
knew it till you saw her at the window /
gave the alarm and searched for her with two
attendants all night after I left you. I was
afraid she would do some dcviltry. I never
thought of harm to you. though, good God!"
Then he broke into wild anger again.
go, only go" said Shirley, family.
"Woll, will But will come back again n
Tho rose she had worn in her hair lay upon
the floor, crushed and tramped. He stopped
and picked it up and carried it away with him.
Was not that a morning for them both,
after such an EVENING"
Shirley had only one thought--to get away.
and that quickly and forever. A mad desire
to fly to the uttermost parts of the earth,
where she would see nobody she ever knew
above all, where Philip Dumoray would never
find her again. That was the only wish she
was conscious of.
The work which she had come to do was
done. The stir and hustle of the morning
was on now All about her she heard it. A
train left early which would take her home
ward. She was weak and trembling, so that
she could scarcely rise, yet she hurried her
preparations. She was in feveriSh haste to
be gone She had been so happy in that cot
tage, happier than ever in her life before.
But now it was hateful to her Only let her
go away, away.
1t wanted yet an hour till train time when
Shirley was ready for her departure, yet she
made haste to be gone. In the cherries,
foggy dawn she had herself taken to the sta
ton: How utterly cherries, how dreary it
was! 1t was n morning to take the stiffen-
ing ont of human being.